In the heart of Fitzroy North, Melbourne, the renovation of a classic Victorian house has provided the perfect setting for an unlikely encounter between a Danish minimalist and na exuberant Egyptian-Australian woman who share a common trait: both are colour blind.
The wooden façade was preserved and painted in a warm cream colour. The apricot-coloured entrance sets a playful tone as soon as you arrive. Inside, everything feels as if it is unfolding: the original structure has been redesigned with large, interconnected spaces, where colours, patterns and textures interact in a balance between Scandinavian pragmatism and exotic exuberance. A peach coloured corridor leads to the newly built extension. Along the way, unexpected doors reveal surprising spaces leading to a large open-plan area that combines a summer lounge, dining area, kitchen and a scenic breakfast nook inspired by the buildings of master architect
Hassan Fathy. The spaces are defined with humour and precision: porcelain mosaics form Persian-style ‘rugs’ that climb up the walls and extend out onto the terrace.
In the kitchen, wooden islands with inlaid turquoise granite – even the fruit bowls have been thought out in detail – converse with apple-green cabinets and tangerine-coloured handles, transporting us directly to a market in Marrakech. Rosso Asiago and Verde Riviera marble feature in the bathrooms, where raised bathtubs, built-in benches and rising tiles re-invent hamam environments. In the winter room, the past is honoured with ornate ceilings, hanging glass lamps and sofas in shades inspired by Middle Eastern spices. A rug by Nipa Doshi and Jonathan Levien for Nanimarquina introduces geometric motifs that are echoed in the saffron-coloured curtains. In the master suite, the tones of the stained glass are softened with rose and lilac tones, in a reference to the wisteria in the courtyard – which will soon cover the pergola made from recycled wood.